David Leonhardt has displayed mastery across piano performance, composition, and arrangement while also excelling as a producer on projects for his own ensembles and for notable jazz figures such as David "Fathead" Newman, with whom he performed in the Quintet for more than six years, along with Michele Hendricks, Jon Hendricks, and additional artists. On six albums under his own leadership, he has presented an even selection of original compositions alongside jazz and classic pop standards. Born and raised in Louisville, KY, he trained under veteran instructor Jamey Aebersold and has cited both Aebersold and McCoy Tyner as primary influences. Through his own recordings and sideman appearances, he has assembled an extensive discography. For his sessions he has drawn top rhythm-section talent including Lewis Nash, Peter Washington, Ray Drummond, and Marvin "Smitty" Smith.
Extending his creative reach beyond performance and writing, Leonhardt has created a distinctive three-CD series conceived for professional tap dancers, instructors, and students at every level who wish to practice improvisation and choreography. Constructed on the same premise as the Music Minus One series, the recordings supply the music while leaving space for the participant to supply the taps, featuring an assortment of jazz pieces in varied tempos and styles. His longstanding engagement with tap led him to serve three years as musical director for the Manhattan Taps dance ensemble. After relocating to eastern Pennsylvania, he assumed an analogous role with the Muhlenberg Jazz Tap Ensemble. He has also issued two albums with vocalist Nancy Reed, among them the notable A Time for Love.
In 1993 Leonhardt established his own production company, Big Bang Records, which has since handled the majority of his subsequent releases. More recently he has devoted time to introducing jazz to young audiences through clinics and educational programs, an effort reflected in one of his latest projects, the CD Jazz For Kids.
